lesson loop 6.12.14

Middle School - "Basics of Bible Study"
We continued our study on the Bible with a night on "How to study the Bible"
We began by considering the purposes for Scripture from these passages:

2 Timothy 3:16-17

• teaches us
• reproves us (rebuke)
• corrects us
• trains us
• equips us

Hebrews 4:12

• pierces us
• discerns us

Psalm 119:105

• guides us
• protects us (saw that last week)

Then we went through a basic guide of how to navigate through Scripture (book, chapter, verse)
Lastly we focused on these 3 Steps of Bible Study:

1. Observation

1. Read thoughtfully
2. Read repeatedly
3. Read patiently
4. Read selectively - who, what, when, why, wherefore?
5. Read prayerfully
6. Read imaginatively
7. Read meditatively
8. Read purposefully (there is a purpose for every word)
9. Read acquisitively (so we can get something from it)
10. Read telescopically (context! - forest, not just the trees)
11. Work with a paragraph (not so much verse or chapter)

Look for things that are:

• emphasized
• repeated
• related
• alike & unlike
• true to life

2. Interpretation

Barriers:

• language
• culture
• literary style

5 Keys to Interpretation:

1. Content
2. Context
3. Comparison (Sola Scriptura!)
4. Culture (of text)
5. Consultation - secondary resources: study Bible, concordances, Bible dictionary, commentaries, atlas

3. Application

1. Know (the text and yourself)
2. Relate (to your life where you are)
3. Meditate
4. Practice

High School: James 5:1-6

Big Idea: A faith that works flees destructive greed.
We should flee greed because...

1. Greed Backfires in the End (vs. 1-3)

• These rich individuals are condemned not for being rich, but for being rich & wicked. Their sin was connected to their riches, because their sin was greed.
• Those who are greedy have a huge misunderstanding - they believe that riches will save them, but in reality their riches pile up condemnation against them.
• Worshiping riches on earth is not merely futile, it can actually ruin your soul.

2. Greed Hurts Others (vs. 4-6)

• Self-indulgence at others' expense.
• At its heart greed is selfishness.
• We as Americans are in danger.
• We as Christians are in danger.

3. Greed Angers the Lord (vs. 4-5)

• God takes greed seriously - He uses His battle name ("Lord of Hosts")

We ended with Proverbs 30:8-9 -

"Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God."